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The Election Commission of India (ECI) has taken a significant step towards transparency by making the electoral bonds data public, following the directives of the Supreme Court of India. The unveiling of this data comes after the State Bank of India (SBI) submitted the details to the election body, adhering to the court’s orders.
However, after digging deep into the data, The News 21 found out that one of the donors to a political party was raided by the Income Tax department in December 2020. Searches were carried out at properties owned by Hyderabad-based Yashoda Healthcare Services Private Limited, which owns the corporate hospital chain. The hospital began as a small clinic in 1989, set up by Dr. G Surendar Rao, who later teamed up with his brothers, G Devender Rao and G Ravender Rao, to expand operations and start Yashoda Hospitals.
The raids were carried out by the anti-tax evasion wing of the Income Tax department.
Simultaneous raids were conducted at the Secunderabad, Malakpet, and Somajiguda branches of the hospital. Raids were also reportedly carried out at the houses of the Directors of the hospital, and senior Doctors of the hospital were questioned. The corporate office of the hospital located at Nagarjuna Circle was also raided.
However, a few months later, in 2021, Yashoda hospital donated Rs. 162 crore in electoral bonds in October 2021.
Though the SBI has not revealed the name of the political party to which the donation was made, it is not hidden or unknown to the public as to which party the donation went.
Yashoda hospital is not alone in facing raids by government officials; there are more than 13 companies where raids were conducted by sleuths. These companies include Future Gaming and Hotel Services, Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited, Haldia Energy Limited, Vedanta Limited, DLF Commercial Developers Limited, Jindal Steel and Power Limited, Chennai Greenwoods, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Limited, IFB Agro Limited, NCC Limited, Divi’s Laboratory Limited, United Phosphorus India Limited, and Aurobindo Pharma. These companies were under the scanner of the ED or Income Tax department, and their donations to a political party raise questions because the public can guess where the donation went and which political party controls all the officials.
Also Read: Election Commission of India Releases Electoral Bond Data: Here Are the Top 10 Donors
